The training was developed in consultation and collaboration with Indigenous leaders and educators across North America.
March 7, 2024 – Today, Canada’s Building Trades Unions (CBTU) and SkillPlan will officially launch new online Indigenous Awareness Training for Building Trades across Canada. Building off of the success of the original in-person Indigenous Awareness training pioneered by Lyle Daniels of the George Gordon First Nation in Saskatchewan and the Community and Indigenous Director at the Building Trades of Alberta, SkillPlan and CBTU are proud to expand accessibility of this training virtually.
Previously delivered in person to more than 400 Building Trades leaders, the new program was expanded to an online format, in consultation and collaboration with Indigenous partners, leaders, organizations and subject-matter experts across North America, and funded in part by the Government of Canada’s Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy, for greater accessibility by the Building Trades and their affiliated contractors across Canada. The course is based on the history of Indigenous Peoples in Canada and provides context on current situations taking place within the construction industry and Indigenous communities. The content was developed to increase understanding of the history and culture of Indigenous Peoples and to prepare training participants with career development tools to enhance relationship-building with Indigenous communities. The course is targeted towards apprentices, journeypersons, contractors, local union staff and union leadership.
“As we continue to work toward reconciliation and learn more about what that means for the unionized skilled trades industry, Canada’s Building Trades Unions has worked with our facilitator Lyle Daniels, the Saskatchewan Building Trades and our partner SkillPlan to deliver in-person Indigenous Awareness training to more than 400 Building Trades leaders across the country,” said Sean Strickland, Executive Director, CBTU. “We’re excited to announce that the training is now available virtually for increased accessibility for all our members. CBTU has a long history of developing a highly-trained workforce; one that is represented by strong labour unions who continuously advocate for better working conditions for all our members, and we’re proud to continually expand our training offerings.”
“This training is the result of many people coming together to collaborate and create a program that hundreds of skilled tradespeople and Building Trades leaders have participated in. Thanks to this new online option, hundreds more across Canada will be able to access it,” said Lyle Daniels, Community and Indigenous Director, Building Trades of Alberta. “I’m proud to be the virtual instructor for the training program after conducting it in person over the past few years.”
“In collaboration with our partners – CBTU, Provincial Building Trades Councils and Social Research and Demonstration Corporation – and through engagement and partnerships with Indigenous Peoples and organizations across Canada, our Indigenous Awareness training provides workers with knowledge and skills to participate in reconciliation and contribute to supportive work environments,” said Kyle Downie, CEO, SkillPlan. “As we continue to work toward reconciliation, we are proud of this partnership to develop and offer this important training for the industry. We are grateful to the Government of Canada for their Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy funding to support this and other programming for the skilled trades.”
Sean Strickland, Executive Director of Canada’s Building Trades Unions, Lyle Daniels, Community and Indigenous Director for the Building Trades of Alberta, Kyle Downie, CEO of SkillPlan, and other partners, community leaders and members, and representatives from labour and management will be in Maple Ridge, B.C., today to make the announcement. To learn more or to register for the course, contact courses@skillplan.ca.
Media Contacts:
Amy Burlock, CBTU aburlock@buildingtrades.ca
SkillPlan Communication communication@skillplan.ca
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About CBTU Canada’s Building Trades Unions are an alliance of 14 international unions in the construction, maintenance and fabrication industries that collectively represent 600,000 skilled trades workers in Canada. Each year, our unions and our signatory contractor partners invest over $300 million in private sector money to fund and operate over 195 apprenticeship training and education facilities across Canada that produce the safest, most highly trained and productive skilled craft workers found anywhere in the world. Canada’s Building Trades Unions represent members who work in more than 60 different trades and occupations and generate six per cent of Canada’s GDP. For more information, visit www.buildingtrades.ca.
About SkillPlan SkillPlan is a nationally recognized leader in workforce development programming. With over 30 years of experience, SkillPlan designs customized workforce development solutions to suit all needs, with assistance and supports from start to finish. SkillPlan develops products and tools and provides services for employers, unions, trainers and workers to help organizations and workers reach their goals, with a focus on pinpointing foundational skills’ challenges and designing curriculum and industry-specific training programs to help workers succeed in technical training and on the job. SkillPlan serves 14 international building trades unions and their affiliated contractors and training providers. Every year, SkillPlan supports tens of thousands of apprentices in succeeding in their trade certification and Red Seal programs. For more information, visit www.skillplan.ca.